Travellers set up illegal camp on Duchess of Cambridge's former school

A group of travellers has set up an illegal campsite on one of Britain’s
leading public schools, Marlborough College, it emerged today.

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The college, situated in the western part of Marlborough, is considered one of the Britain’s leading co-educational public schoolsPhoto: JULIAN SIMMONDS

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Peter Bryan, Director Corporate Resources, far right, and William Wyldbore-Smith, second right, Clerk to the Council of the School, accompanied by a police officer and security guard, talk with the travellers Photo: JULIAN SIMMONDS

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Two private security guards were seen guarding one of the school gates next to the Memorial Hall.

The group entered the playing fields, which had hosted the college’s annual Summer School last week, just before 6pm on Thursday after Thames Valley Police evicted them from their previous campsite.

On Friday, the school confirmed that officials were attempting to pursue the travellers to leave.

Jonathan Leigh, the school master, said: “We are pursuing all legal steps to remove these people as soon as possible.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said officers were monitoring the situation.

He added: “We got a number of calls yesterday to say that up to seven caravans that had parked on the private lands of Marlborough College.

“We have spoken to them and they have told us it is their intention to leave sometime this weekend.

“We are monitoring the situation at the moment.”

The college, situated in the western part of Marlborough, is considered one of the Britain’s leading co-educational public schools.

Founded in 1843 by a group of Church of England clergymen, the College today has nearly 900 pupils.

A third are female with about 98 per cent of students boarders

The Duchess of Cambridge was captain of the school hockey team, a keen netball player and played in the first pair at tennis.

One college master described her as an A-grade pupil and an all rounder who was popular throughout the school

Other notable alumni include writers Siegfried Sassoon, John Betjeman, Bruce Chatwin, Sir Francis Chichester, the aviator and sailor and Anthony Blunt, the former security service officer who was outed as a Russian spy.